Family. Everyone has their stories, everyone has their opinions about certain people. Big or small, good or bad, they will always be family.
My family is complicatedly big. It starts with four, then fifteen, then forty plus people not including significant others brought to events over time. And that's just one side of the family. It's always a joke that you need to check each other's family tree before you even think about marriage!
When you're young, you really don't appreciate family much, especially when they are so much older than you. They do their own things separate from you until you're old enough. Even then, they treat you like you are the baby. But, they have a reason to.
I am one of the youngest in my family. When I was younger, I would follow my two older cousins around and mimic them. I'm talking word-for-word, copy-cat style. I have no memory of this happening but when I get together with them, they will never let me live it down. As I got older, they would continue to bring it up. And now having S.O.s coming over for all the cousins, it's always a competition to bring up the most embarrassing moments.
See also: Your Sister Is A Lot Of Things, But She Will ALWAYS Be These 11 Things
As we grow up and it's harder to get together, we appreciate the events when all the family can come into town to visit. Because when you do bring everyone together, you may talk to an uncle that started a new job and gets you interested in it too, talk to a cousin who is starting a new business, or you may meet a S.O. that will eventually turn into a fiance and you see their life starting together. You may hardly know them now, but at the end of the day, you will know that your relative is lucky to have someone like them.
At the end of the day, it's always bittersweet.
You have to part ways with the people you love, whether you know much about them, they will always have your back and will love you. It may be different the next time you see them. Someone moves to a different state because of a job, they are married, or they have a little one running around. Each time will be different you see them because it will years later before you see them again. But however long that will be, it'll always make for a good time
Big families make you love a little harder because not only are you not sure how they are related to you, they still are and family loves you for whoever you are. They make you enjoy the time you have together and you make some great memories together.
I just saw about half of my extended family a couple weeks ago. I met someone who is going to be a part of the family in about a year. I am excited to see someone added to this big family I have, but I will get to see the other family members at their wedding. Family is always and forever. Until next time, fam.
